Good thing it was in the UK rather than the US these days. Here it would have been an excuse for the SWAT boys to get out all their toys, blow the door off the hinges, flash bangs burning the carpet, shoot the dog, etc, etc, etc (probably with a news crew in tow as well just to 'document the procedure' - only to confiscate the tapes once it is known what a cluster fark the whole thing is).

Recoil Therapy:Good thing it was in the UK rather than the US these days. Here it would have been an excuse for the SWAT boys to get out all their toys, blow the door off the hinges, flash bangs burning the carpet, shoot the dog, etc, etc, etc (probably with a news crew in tow as well just to 'document the procedure' - only to confiscate the tapes once it is known what a cluster fark the whole thing is).

BraveNewCheneyWorld:Recoil Therapy: Good thing it was in the UK rather than the US these days. Here it would have been an excuse for the SWAT boys to get out all their toys, blow the door off the hinges, flash bangs burning the carpet, shoot the dog, etc, etc, etc (probably with a news crew in tow as well just to 'document the procedure' - only to confiscate the tapes once it is known what a cluster fark the whole thing is).

The police were notified of a threat, investigated that threat in a completely non-violent manner within the bounds of the law, and went on their way once they had the facts.

Would you have rather had the American version, where some kid makes a passing reference to the toy in school, the police interrogate the kid for 10 hours, raid his neighbors house and kill everyone inside, plant evidence suggesting that it was really the right house, and pat themselves on the back for bringing justice to a 92 year old crimelord?

BillCo:When I first looked at the picture, I thought "what kind of idiot would think that was real". Then I saw that it was in the U.K. and it all made sense.

Yeah, the fact that only two of the police officers were armed, and it was apparently worth noting that two officers were armed, threw me for a minute there. Also the fact that they knocked on the door and handed over the warrant instead of SWAT smashing their way in there.

The police were notified of a threat, investigated that threat in a completely non-violent manner within the bounds of the law, and went on their way once they had the facts.

Would you have rather had the American version, where some kid makes a passing reference to the toy in school, the police interrogate the kid for 10 hours, raid his neighbors house and kill everyone inside, plant evidence suggesting that it was really the right house, and pat themselves on the back for bringing justice to a 92 year old crimelord?

Recoil Therapy:Good thing it was in the UK rather than the US these days. Here it would have been an excuse for the SWAT boys to get out all their toys, blow the door off the hinges, flash bangs burning the carpet, shoot the dog, etc, etc, etc (probably with a news crew in tow as well just to 'document the procedure' - only to confiscate the tapes once it is known what a cluster fark the whole thing is).

How could anyone mistake that toy for something real? Are people not aware of scale? I know there's a lot of British bashing here, but even they can't be that stupid. I also agree with the person who was incredulous at the fact that his friend was "Ok" with police checking him out on a clearly bogus issue. There is Absolutely No Way that toy can be confused for something real.

pyrotek85:I'd rather they had looked at the picture and realized it's a toy.

Did they even see the picture? The way I read it, some busybody saw the picture and called the police claiming that he had a mortar gun in his house. Unless the caller specifically mentioned the Facebook post, the police most likely assumed that the caller saw it firsthand, so they wouldn't even know the picture existed.

Now if there's another story somewhere saying that the police found the post on their own while scouring Facebook for lawbreakers, then I'll commence my outrage immediately. But from the info so far, even as a cop hater, this strikes me more as more of a CSB than something to be upset about.

the doubletalk int he article is amazing. "it's harmless, it's no big deal", all while people are instead making fun of the guy. I love the "the police acted in good faith", when they clearly never reviewed the photo at all.

I wonder what the Brits would think if they knew us Yanks were legally allowed to own mortar tubes. As (much like used LAW or AT-4 tubes) they are just inert hunks of metal or fiberglass (thats fibreglass to you crumpet munchers), there really arn't dangerous. Though we are also allowed to own the mortars that go in said tubes if we are willing to pay a $200 tax per mortor for having a 'destructive device'.

Also allowed: Tanks and flamethrowers. Yet NY has a 7 round mag limit.

Perhaps the article doesn't mention the police ignoring the drugs on the table and only caring about the item they were searching for. I mean the guy has a toy of his friend and his friend's dog, he must be high. Hence why the guy was so chill about the whole shabang.

In the U.K you don't have to open the door to anyone if they don't have a warrant.

namegoeshere:BillCo: When I first looked at the picture, I thought "what kind of idiot would think that was real". Then I saw that it was in the U.K. and it all made sense.

Yeah, the fact that only two of the police officers were armed, and it was apparently worth noting that two officers were armed, threw me for a minute there. Also the fact that they knocked on the door and handed over the warrant instead of SWAT smashing their way in there.

Yeah, 'the two armed officers' threw me as well as I thought this was in the U.S.

Then I realised everyone over there must already own at least one mortar or an RPGs of some sort.

Seriously though, with all the weaponry in U.S homes, I was thinking why a mortar was illegal. Then I realised this story was in the silly U.K.

the ha ha guy:pyrotek85: I'd rather they had looked at the picture and realized it's a toy.

Did they even see the picture? The way I read it, some busybody saw the picture and called the police claiming that he had a mortar gun in his house. Unless the caller specifically mentioned the Facebook post, the police most likely assumed that the caller saw it firsthand, so they wouldn't even know the picture existed.

Now if there's another story somewhere saying that the police found the post on their own while scouring Facebook for lawbreakers, then I'll commence my outrage immediately. But from the info so far, even as a cop hater, this strikes me more as more of a CSB than something to be upset about.

If they didn't see the picture and are going off of what some random guy said, I'd think that's a little weak for a warrant. This is the UK though, so that might be meeting the criteria. If I were the judge I'd want to see the picture myself.

WTF? They go out prepared to smash down someone's front door and invade their home without even bothering to look at the picture? Which 'tarded moron's word did they take for this and why?

This is what really scares me about British police nowadays, they have the monopoly on state approved violence but act in such a way that makes me suspect that a lot of people have been promoted beyind their capabilities.There's been mutterings that they need a professional officer corps like the military.

weapon13:Do you mean warrants? Don't you guys in 'merkinland have to open the door to police who have a search warrant?

In America, we rarely get the chance.

When carrying out a warrant, unless it's just collecting evidence for an ongoing court case, standard procedure is to bust down the door, kill any dogs, handcuff any people, and search the house for anyone else who needs to be dragged out and handcuffed. Once that's done, if anyone is left alive, THEN they'll announce themselves as police, briefly flash the warrant, and begin ransacking the house for whatever it is they're looking for.

Suffice to say, it's not uncommon for people to be killed by police when these warrants are carried out. If it turns out they killed someone at the wrong house, no matter, they just plant a few bags of marijuana and call it a drug bust. If they went to the wrong house but didn't kill anyone, too bad, now the innocent homeowners have to buy new windows, doors, electronics, furniture, etc, because the police sure aren't going to replace the stuff they broke.

But according to American media, the USA is the last stronghold of freedom and human rights in the world, and the UK is nothing but a communist police-run nanny-state...

the ha ha guy:weapon13: Do you mean warrants? Don't you guys in 'merkinland have to open the door to police who have a search warrant?

In America, we rarely get the chance.

When carrying out a warrant, unless it's just collecting evidence for an ongoing court case, standard procedure is to bust down the door, kill any dogs, handcuff any people, and search the house for anyone else who needs to be dragged out and handcuffed. Once that's done, if anyone is left alive, THEN they'll announce themselves as police, briefly flash the warrant, and begin ransacking the house for whatever it is they're looking for.

Suffice to say, it's not uncommon for people to be killed by police when these warrants are carried out. If it turns out they killed someone at the wrong house, no matter, they just plant a few bags of marijuana and call it a drug bust. If they went to the wrong house but didn't kill anyone, too bad, now the innocent homeowners have to buy new windows, doors, electronics, furniture, etc, because the police sure aren't going to replace the stuff they broke.

But according to American media, the USA is the last stronghold of freedom and human rights in the world, and the UK is nothing but a communist police-run nanny-state...